I click through a few concert photos, feeling nostalgic. My favorite pictures are the ones that show the crowd. Even in a still shot, there’s an energy in the fans that shines through. I can even spot a few glowing RACHEL headbands in the pictures. I grin.

I’ve always appreciated my fans, but after everything that’s happened this year, my gratitude for them has only grown deeper. They’re the ones who literally got me through my darkest moments. They inspire me, and I hope that I can inspire them, too.

My phone buzzes with an incoming text. I startle and close my laptop, somehow thinking that if it’s Leah texting me, she’ll be able to see my scrapbook-in-progress through the phone. But when I glance down at the screen, I see an unknown number.

Don’t think this is over. There are still scores to be settled. I’d watch my back if I were you. PS: Doesn’t your little sister still work with DB? She better watch her back too…

I roll my eyes and immediately delete the message, though I can’t help but shudder. It’s hard not to feel a rise of anxiety at these messages. I’ve been getting texts like this every so often. I have no idea who’s sending them, but every time my phone pings with another threat, it’s a harsh reminder that things aren’t going to be easy moving forward.

I open my computer and look again at the photo of my fans. For every hater, I try to look instead to the beacons of light that guide me back to myself. I let my gaze drift over to the large window in Alex’s living room where beams of daylight are streaming through. For a second, they remind me of my fans, lighting up the darkness, reminding me why I’m onstage in the first place, and giving me the strength to keep going. I just need to look to them, and I know there will be a path forward.

Suddenly, inspiration hits me like a lightning bolt zapping right through my writer’s block. I quickly grab a pen and one of Alex’s spare pads of legal paper littering the table, flipping it over to a clean page.

The title comes to me first. “Golden Sky.”

A tribute for my fans, who shine brighter than any star.

This one’s for you.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, my gratitude goes first and foremost to my Golden Stars. Your constant support, excitement, and love for this series have kept me going through the writing process. Thank you for being my inspiration.